Jake Mace
Feeling the bittersweet melancholy of being an underpaid and underappreciated performer is no doubt something many of the acts up at EdFringe 2023 will resonate with right now. But art is struggle! Presenting their version of 1975 (oh, how times have changed) concept musical A Chorus Line, The show tackles a gruelling audition process seeing eight Broadway performers whittled down to just one. Director Bella Taylor and co-Producer Giulia Lovrecich of the Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group sat down with us for a pixelated pint at the end of Week 1 of the Fringe to talk all things dance numbers, compelling drama, and moving music.
Catch A Chorus Line at Paradise in Augustines – The Sanctuary until August 19th at 16:50. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office.
Jake: Hi team! You’ve been working on A Chorus Line, telling the bittersweet stories of Broadway performers that keep the shows running. Tell us all about what made you choose to bring this musical to the EdFringe stage.
Bella: A Chorus Line is a musical that reflects what it is like to be at the Fringe. ‘A Chorus Line’ explores the dedication it takes for performers to keep going in the hopes of one day achieving success. The same heartbreak and sacrifice is experienced at the EdFringe, as the city is flooded with performers hoping this year is their break into the industry. In particular, the cast is made up of young hopefuls similar to those in the show, also on the brink of their performing careers.
Giulia: Exactly. We were also keen to choose a show that featured a large cast, in order to give as many performers as possible the opportunity to experience the Fringe, which is such an exciting time.
Jake: What are your own relationships like with the tough world of professional performance? How do you think it has impacted on the process of putting the show together?
Bella: My experience of theatre so far, as well as the process of putting this show together, is best reflected in the finale – One. The unison of sparkling performers in one endless kick line remind us that any one of the dancers could have been successful, and luck plays just as much of a role as hard work does in the performance industry. In the same way, whilst we have worked incredibly hard on creating a show we are incredibly proud of, the luck of being able to bring a show to the Fringe is not lost on me. So I am excited to take advantage of this opportunity and bring to the Fringe this showstopping musical.
Giulia: It is definitely a challenge to produce this show as we are young amateurs working with the same venues as professionals, without necessarily having the same resources. It’s incredible to think that our cast and crew are putting in this much effort whilst being unpaid to do it, which is also reflected in the message of the show: dedicating yourself to the arts for love.
Jake: Tell us about your relationship with Edinburgh and the Fringe – have you been before and how are you feeling about it all?
Bella: ‘A Chorus Line’ is the second show I have taken to the Fringe, and I am thrilled to be directing at the Fringe again this year, and even more so to be directing a musical! It has been exciting to watch the city change in preparation; with every food truck and poster that pops up my excitement grows…
Giulia: This is my second time at the Fringe. Having performed there last year, I am thrilled to discover a whole new facet of the festival with producing. This is one of the many great things about the festival: you get to wear many different hats and never be bored! A Chorus Line is such a brilliant show, our cast and team have been working extremely hard and we are very proud of the result so far. We cannot wait for audiences to see the show!
Jake: Given the themes of Binge Fringe, if your show was a beverage of any kind (alcoholic, non-alcoholic – be as creative as you like!), what would it be and why?
Bella: I think A Chorus Line would be a Tequila Sunrise. It is a colourful show filled with moving songs and impressive large-scale dance numbers, with the darker undertones of a gruelling audition process. And ‘A Chorus Line’ is tequila, because everyone likes tequila!
Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office.
Photo Credit: Jacob Howorth
